As a lifelong resident of North Tawton, I totally confer with Jan Goffey’s letter in Thursday, 11 January edition of the Okehampton Times.

Recently, I needed to use a very good nursing home and I am grateful for it but the fact remains if  Okehampton Hospital wards were open, it would have been much closer and accessible by bus for me and for my friends and family to visit.  Anyone who has been in hospital will know how important a visitor can be to your mental wellbeing.

As mentioned in the letter, the population has grown and continues to do so.  A great number of new houses are being built, not only in Okehampton but in the surrounding towns and villages.  These new residents will all, at some time, need to use a hospital, whether it be maternity or end of life care.  It makes sense to open the wards and keep the clinics at Okehampton to relieve pressure on the larger hospitals, like the Royal Devon and Exeter who could use Okehampton hospital to discharge patients, freeing up beds in Exeter.

Mrs K Gregory

North Tawton